Dispatches since 2005
The journal
Announcements, new editions, travel, diving, cooking and the working life of a novelist — 3,176 entries, all of them here in full.
August 6, 2007 · 516 words
Mexican. Thai.
Kathy visited the nearby Asian food store— “nearby” in this case meaning a 75-mile round trip— and returned with a whole red snapper and a whole tilapia. The snapper I stuffed with parsley and lemons, wrapped in banana leaves, and grilled. Call it less than successful. I’m having a hard time mastering my ne
Read entry →August 6, 2007 · 114 words
Daniel’s On a Roll (3)
Daniel Abraham’s A Betrayal in Winter has just been released. It’s really, really good. Go forth and, without passing Go, buy it straightaway. This is Book II of the Long Price Quartet. I’ve already had the rather sumptuous pleasure of reading Book III, and am in the process of reading Book IV, so you know […]
Read entry →August 5, 2007 · 729 words
Curse of the Golden Flower
I’m so far behind in reading and viewing that my reviews are always ages late. I finished the Harry Potter book a week or so behind everyone else, and the discussions were already over. Living in the country means it’s a 75-mile trip to the theater, and that means we almost never go, so I […]
Read entry →July 31, 2007 · 1,262 words
Heroes
I’ve just finished reading the final Harry Potter book, which started me on a train of thought about fictional heroes and fictional heroics, and who they are and what they mean. I don’t think it’s a big spoiler to note that Harry, as heroes go, really isn’t that bright. He spends a good deal of […]
Read entry →July 23, 2007 · 47 words
C’est Moi
I have Simpsonized myself. I have also Simpsonized Kathy, an act for which I may be forgiven some time in the next decade. For anyone wishing to discover their Simpsons avatar, you don’t need to register, you just click on “new character” and your cartoonization may begin.
Read entry →July 23, 2007 · 97 words
Taos
Two teachers, one special lecturer, seventeen participants, two weeks, one mountain lodge. Thirty-four manuscripts, eight exercises, 1,800,000 ponderosa pines, one very active family of ground squirrels, and one hot tub. I plan to have caught up on my sleep by 2012. Connie was wonderful to work with, a complete joy. Th
Read entry →July 18, 2007 · 204 words
From Night Shade
I’m still on the mountain, but I forward this announcement in a not-quite-disinterested spirit of cooperation.It’s sale time at Night Shade Books again. We’ve got a few big titles coming in, and we need to clear space in a big way! So until midnight on Sunday, July 29th, we’re offering 50% off all in-stock and [&hellip
Read entry →July 4, 2007 · 952 words
Dude. Where’s My Tail?
In the last month I’ve delivered one novel and started another. I have done what, in former times, would have constituted the entirety of my job: writing a piece of fiction and selling it to a publisher. What happened to it afterward was sort of up to them.Without going into the sad details, let’s just […]
Read entry →July 2, 2007 · 359 words
Fred Saberhagen
Fred Saberhagen passed away this past weekend, after a long battle with cancer.He was a fine human being, and a far better author than most people gave him credit for. He created two undying archetypes for science fiction: the first being the Berserkers, robotic combat machines whose destructiveness outlived the war fo
Read entry →July 1, 2007 · 903 words
Legends of the Waiter, Part III
Continued from the posts “Me O My O” and “Chef Francoise, Part II” Baron le Vison had been a legendary character long before I met him. I kept hearing stories about him, some from the Baron himself, some from others. Consider these to be Unconfirmed Rumors. He is, according to one account, a genuine French […]
Read entry →